Which Is Better? Daedric or Dragonplate Armor In Skyrim?

Last month, Skyrim Fansite contributor Par-Kajarl wrote an outstanding article on how to get Daedric armor in Skyrim (if you missed the article, check it out here). Not surprisingly, just publishing an article about Daedric gear raised some questions with some of our readers regarding heavy armor in Skyrim: namely which is better — Daedric or Dragonplate?

Daedric or Dragonplate Armor?

On the surface, the answer to the question seems fairly obvious. Just looking at the stats, Daedric appears to be better:

Daedric Armor

[table]

Name, Armor, Weight, Value

Daedric Armor,49,50,3200

Daedric Boots,18,10,625

Daedric Gauntlets,18,6,625

Daedric Helmet,23,15,1600

Daedric Shield,36,15,1600

[/table]

Dragonplate Armor

[table]

Name, Armor, Weight, Value

Dragonplate Armor, 46,40,2125

Dragonplate Boots, 17,8,425

Dragonplate Gauntlets,17,8,425

Dragonplate Helmet,22,8,1050

Dragonplate Shield,34,15,1050

[/table]

As a whole, a complete set of Daedric armor has a total armor rating of 144 compared to Dragonplate’s 136. Daedric is worth more too: a complete set of gear is valued at 7,650 as opposed to Dragonplate’s 5,075.

Is It Really That Settled?

When it comes to Daedric or Dragonplate, it’s hard to argue against the numbers. Daedric clearly has higher stats when it comes to armor rating and value. That being said, some may argue against Daedric being “better.” Like many things in Skyrim it comes down to playing style and personal preference.

Here are four reasons why Dragonplate may be considered better than Daedric:

1. Dragonplate is lighter than Daedric armor (88 vs. 108), thus taking up less of a player’s available carry weight.

2. Some like the look and feel of Dragonplate more than the dark, sinister look of Daedric for their character.

3. The acquisition of Dragonplate is more “story friendly” in the sense that the Dragonborn spends a good deal of time killing Dragons and absorbing their souls. It only seems fitting (no pun intended) that the Dragonborn is ultimately decked out in gear fashioned from Dragon Bone as opposed to Daedra hearts and black soul gems.

Final Thoughts

One of the great things about Skyrim is the openess of the game. Players are given a lot of freedom to build a character and explore Skyrim as they best see fit. In that spirit, the question of “better” boils down to personal preference when contemplating Daedric or Dragonplate. Stats be danged.

So fellow travelers, what’s your opinion? Do you prefer Daedric or Dragonplate? Is armor rating and value the best gauge of determining which is better, or do other factors need to be taken into consideration? Share your opinions in the Speak Your Mind section below.

About Shane Scarbrough

Shane Scarbrough is the founder of the Skyrim Fansite. He's a business owner, video game journalist, and role playing game aficionado. When he’s not working he enjoys reading, writing, and playing video games. He's currently on his third playthrough of Skyrim, and is playing as a Templar in The Elder Scrolls Online. You can find Shane on Google+ and FaceBook.